Multicolor printing machine



Ja 30. 9 5-- A. MI ZUCKERMAN MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed- June 2, 1942 Jan. 30, 1945- A. M. ZUC KERMA N MUL'I'ICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2', 1942 0 IQNVENTOR AdoZphMZucKe man.

Jan. 30, 1945. A ZUCKERMAN 2,368,341

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oooo'oo o o ooloo 0 OIOOO 00 0 0 00 000 op oo INVENTOR AddpkMZuc/remau Patented Jan; 30, 1945 MULTICOI JOR PRINTING MACHINE Adolph M, Zuckerman, New York, N. Y., assignor to R. Hoe & (30., Inc., New York, N. Y.,. a corporation of New York Application June 2', 1942, Serial No.-445,420

7 Claims.

This invention relates to multicolor web printing machines and more particularly to improvements in such printing machines wherein means is provided to dry the ink after printing, by heating and subsequently cooling the web.-

In high speed printing machines used for multicolor printing, which have ink drying means incorporated in their structure, it is desirable that the amount of space required for the installation be kept to a minimum. It is also desirable that e printed web be guided in such a manner that freshly printed areas thereon will not engage any part of the machine until the ink has been dried, to prevent "smutting of the freshly applied ink.

It is often desirable in machines of this kind to print the web with several different colored vention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherere 1 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a side view of a printing machine made in acinks superimposed upon the same surface, and

to do this without running the machine at a slower speed'than that at which it would be run to print in one or two colors.

One object of this invention is to provide a web printing machine including ink drying devices, that will print and dry one or two webs with either one or two kinds of ink at high speed, or alternatively, will print and dry one web with either three or four kinds of ink at the same high speed.

Another object is to provide a printing machine arranged to operate on a web that is led through a first printing unit and an ink drying device, and then through a second printing unit and an ink drying device,to complete the printing on both sidesof the web when applying one or two colors on each side, or alternatively to lead aweb successively through two prlntingunits and two drying devices and then through a second pair of printing units. and two drying devices to apply three or four colors onqeach side, the web speed in either case being the same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a web printing machine having improved means for preventing the freshly printed surface of a web printed successively by a plurality of printing units, from coming into contact withparts of the machine, while it is passing from one printing unit to the next unit.

s It is also an object of this invention to provide a multicolorprinting machine of generally im-- proved construction, that will be simple, durable and relatively inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and effic ent in use.

" ith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear from the description, the incordance with the invention and shown as adapted to print and dry one or two Webs with either one or two kinds of ink on each side thereof;

Figure 1A illustrates the same machine shown as adapted toprint'and dry a web with either three or four kinds of ink on each side thereof;

Figure 2 is a side view of a web carrier over which a freshly printed web having margin spaces may be led, and which is adapted to maintain the freshly printed surface of the web out of contact therewith;

Figure 3 is an enlarged and broken longitudinal sectional view of the web carrier shown in Figure 2, as seen on the line 33 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the web V carrier shown in Figures 2 and 3, as seen on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction printed surface of the web out of contact therewit; and

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the web carriershown in Figure 5, as seen on the line 6 -6 of Figure '5 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

The printing machine, shown in Figure 1 in-.

cludes a plurality of p inting units ll, l2, l3 and H and ink drying devices l5, l6, l1 and I8. As herein shown the printing unit I l is superimposed over the unit l2, the unit l3 over the unit H, the ink-drier I5 over the dryer l6, and the ink dryer I! over the dryer l8. Each of. the dryers IS, IS, l1 and I8 has in its structure heating units of known form and of suflicient heat radiating capacity to efliciently dry the ink applied upon a web by one of the printing unit'sll', l2, l3 or M, when thi web is being fed at relatively high peed. Each of the printing units shown includes respectively to printing plates on the plate cylinders.

As shown in Figure 1, the printing machine herein illustrated is adapted to print two colors or kinds of ink on each side of two webs 28 and 29, the web 28 being fed in sequence through the printing unit I I, the ink dryer l5, the unit l3, and the dryer I1, and the web 29 being fed in sequence through the printing unit I 2, .the ink dryer IS, the unit I4, and the dryer l8. Web guiding members, herein designated web carriers 38 and 3|, function similarly to guide roll-'- ers, in that they act to guide a web, but as will be hereinafter explained, they are arranged to prevent contact with the adjacent 'face of a web passing around them. In its passage to the unit H from a source of supply, the web 28 is guided by web carriers 38 and 3|, and in its passage from the unit II to the unit l3, it is guided by rollers 32 and 33 to the casing 34 of the ink dryer I5, and then over a guide roller 35, cooling rollers 38 and 31, and rollers 38, 39, 4|, 42, 43 and 44 (the roller 43 preferably being a compensator roller which is made adjustable to ef- 0 feet register of the printing) From the unit l3, the web '28 is guided by a web carrier 45, and a guide roller 46, to the casing 41 of the dryer H from which it is led over a roller 48, coolin rollers 49 and 5|- and rollers 52, 53, and 54 to the usual folding and delivery mechanism (not shown). v

In its passage to the unit |2 from a source er supply, the web 29 is led over guide rollers 55' and 58, and in its passage from the unit |2 to the unit l4, it is led over a web carrier 51 and a guide roller 58 to the casing 59 of the dryer l5 from which it is led over a guide roller 58, cooling rollers 5| and 52, guide rollers 83, 94, 55and 95, a compensator roller 81, and a web carrier 88. After leaving the unit l4, the web 29 is guided by rollers 89 and 1| to the casing 12 of the dryer I8, from which it is led over a roller 13, cooling rollers 14 and 15,- and rollers 16, 11 and 18 to the usual folding and deliverymechanisms (not shown). Each of the dryers l5, |6, I1" and I8 has sufficient drying capacity to properly dry impressions of two colors while the press is being run at maximum speed.

In mounting the pairs of the dryers l5, l6 and I1, I8, it is preferable to mount them tilted slightly from a vertical line, in order that the rollers 58 and 48 may be effective to hold the web in proper alignment, and thereby prevent to the web or to the printing, while it is passing through the dryers. This is especially important with the web runs shown in Figure '1A.

It will be understood that all of the cylinders, rollers, and web carriers are supported by and extend between spaced apart machine side frames 19. The ink dryers l5, l5, l1 and I8 are mounted between these frames in the available one dryer between the units H and I3, another between units l2 and I4, and two dryers between the units l3'and l4 and the: folding and delivery mechanism. x

The printing machine herein disclosed is also adapted to print'and dry a single web, printed with either three or four kinds of ink on each side while running at the same high speed as when printing with one or two colors. This adaptation is shown in Figure 1A, wherein a web 82 enters the machine from a usual source of supply (not shown), and is led over guide rollers 55 and 58 into the printing unit |2 to have one ortwo colors printed on its surface A. It is then led over the web carrier51, a compensator roller 8|, web carriers 38 and 3| to the unit II to have one or two more colors printed upon its surface A. From the unit II the web is guided by the rollers 32 and 33 into the casing of the dryer l5, through which it is'guided by the roller and from which it is guided by the roller 58 into the casing. 59 of the dryer l5.

From the dryer IS, the web 82 is led over the roller 68, the cooling rollers SI and 52, the rollers 63, 64, 85, 39, 4| and 42, the compensator roller 43, and guide roller 44 into the printin unit l3, to have one or two colors printed upon its surface B. After leaving the unit l3, the web is led over the web carrier 45, the compensator 81 and the web carrier 68, to the printing unit l4 to'have one or two more colors printed on its surface B. From 'the unit [4, the web 82 is guided by the rollers 89 and 1| into the casing 12 of the dryer l8 through which it is guided by the roller 13, -,and from which it is guided by the roller 45 into the casing 41 of the dryer I1. Upon leaving the dryer H, the web 82 passes over the roller 48 and the cooling rollers 49 and 5|, and is then guided bythe rollers 52, 53 and 54 toward the usual folding and delivery mechanism (not. shown). I

In passing between the' units l2 and H, the

5 web 82 is ledover the web carriers 51, 38 and guide rollers were used at these points, the fresh ink might offset onto the rollers and smut the web or otherwise detract from the quality of the printing, and hence it is desirable to provide means to prevent all freshly printed portions of the web from coming into contact with the means employed to guide the web as it is led from one printing unit to the other. In machineslfor producing work having margin spaces between pages on the web, the web carriers 38, 3|, 45, 51

m and 58 are formed as illustrated in Figures 2, 3

and 4, but in machines producing work having no margin spaces, these web carriers are formed as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. The web carrier shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 includes a plurality of hollow cylinders 9|, one for each page being printed widthwise of the web. These cylinders,

, as herein shown, are secured on a fixed shaft 92 and cooperate with intermediate web supporting'members 93, and end web supporting mem- 80 bers 94.

than the diameter of the members 93 and 94,

whereby a web led thereover, will engage only .the peripheries of the members 93 and 94 and will be-slightly spaced from the surface of the non-rotating cylinders 9|.

76 In order to prevent the web, when under tension, from being drawn into contact with the surfaces of the cylinders 9|, they are each provided with a plurality of holes 99 located in those illustrative and not restrictive, reference being I had to the claims rather than to the foregoing portions that are covered by the web. The holes 99 extend through the shell of the cylinders 9| to the hollow'interior I00, and it will be seen cylinders 9| presses upon the underside of the contact-with the cylinder. Each of the cy1in-' that air under pressure in the interior of the web and-prevents it from being drawn down into ders 9| has an air inlet pipe |o| through which air under pressure may be supplied thereto from a suitable source (not shown).

The alternative form of web carrier shown in Figures 5 and 6 includes a roller having a cylindrical shell I02 which is provided with a plurality 'of holes I03 over its entire periphery. These holes extend through the shell I02 to the hollow interior I04. The cylindrical shell I02 has shaft ends I05 and I06, that are Journaled in the side frames I9 of the machine. One of the shaft ends I05, is provided with a bore I0l communicating with the interior of the shell through which air under pressure may be supplied, to prevent the web from being drawn tightly against the periphery of the shell.

In order that the holes I03 in that portion of the shell that is not covered by the web may be otherwise covered, to prevent the wasteful escape of air, a shield I 08 is supported upon a shaft I09 in position to extend along"and partially surround the shell I02 at the side opposite description to' indicate the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Int. multicolor web printing machine, a first group of printing units, a second group of printing units arranged in line with the first, a first group of ink dryers operably interposed between the first and second group of printing units, a second group. of ink dryers operably following the second group of printing units, means for leading a web of a first web run through a printing unit of the first group, through a dryer of the first group, through a printing unit of the second group and through a dryer of the second group and simultaneously'leading a web of a secondv web run through a printing unit of the first group, through a 'dryer of the first group, through a printing unit of the second group and through a dryer of the second group, and means for alternatively leading a web of ,a third web from the web, and is fitted closely to the periphery of the shell. The shield I08 effectively blocks the passage of air from the shell I02 except atthe web covered portion thereof, where if under sufficient pressure, the air will lift the web sufficiently to escape between the shell and the web. If desired the shaft I09 may be made adjustable about the shaft ends I05 and I06 to permit the shield I08 to be adjusted about the shell I02.

From the foregoing description of the paths followed by the webs passing through the machine, it will be noted that when the printing on one side of a web is completed by one printing unit,' the web is then carried through only one of the drying units, before being printed on ttfe other side or folded, but when a web is carried through two printing units to complete the printing on one side, it'--is then carried through two drying units successively, thus providing twice the drying capacity for work having impressions in four colors, that is provided for work ha'ving impressions irrtwo colors; By the arrangement shown, it is possible to use the drying equipment in a most efficient manner.

It will be seen that a printing machine arranged as depicted may be operated to print either one or two webs with one or two kinds of ink on one or two sides of the web, and the ink thoroughly dried while the machine is running at high speed, and alternatively, one web ink and thoroughly dried when running the machine at equally high speed.- Also, operation of i the drying equipment under either of the alternative conditions is at the highest efliciency, and

"be enibodied in. other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that thepresent embodiment be considered-mall respects as 1 may be printed with either three or four kinds of end of each cylinder,

first group, successively through the ink dryers of the first group, successively through the printing units of the second group, and successively through the ink dryers of the second group, the

ink dryers'of each group being so arranged that the web is led in a direct path through and between them.

2. In a multicolor web printing machine, a first group of printing units, a second group of printing units arranggd in linetwith the first, a first group of ink dryers operably interposed between .run through a printing unit of the first group,

through a dryer of the first group, through a printing unit of the second group and through a dryer of the second group, means for alternatively leading a web of a third web run successively through the printing units of the first group, successively through the ink dryers of the first group, successively through the printing units of thesecond group and successively through the ink dryers of the second group, the ink dryers of each group being so arranged that the web is led in a direct paththrough and between them, and a web carrier running in contact with the freshly printed side of the web as it passes from one printing unit to another printing unit in the' third web run, the said web carrier being provided with members which engage a relatively small area of the web and means for preventing contact of the major portion of the web with the web carrier including means for directing a current of air between the major portion of the web and the web carrier.

3. A web carrier for guiding a web,in a printing machine, comprising a shaft, a. plurality of ends, and web-engaging rollers rotatably supported on aligned bearing members, one at each the rollers being slightly larger in diameter than the cylinders, and each of the cylinders beingindependently connected with a source of air under pressure and having holes through the portion of its peripheral wall printing unit and a second drying unit, and web carriers having means to guide webs without contacting their printed areas, whereby a first and a second web may be'printed first one one side and then on the other side, by leading the first web successively through the first printing unit, the first drying unit, the second printing unit and the second drying unit of the lower tier, and the second web successively through the first printing unit, the'first drying unit, the second printing unit and the second drying unit of the upper tier, and alternatively a single web may be printed on each side by leading it successively through the first printing unit of the lower tier, about a web carrier, through the first printing unit of the upper tier, the first drying unit of the upper tier, the first drying unit of the lower tier, the second printing unit of the upper tier, about another web carrier, through the second printing unit of the lower tier, the second drying unit of the lower tier, and the second drying unit of the'upper tier.

5. In a multicolor web printing machine, a plurality of printing units, a plurality of ink dryin units, a plurality of web carriers having means to guide a web without engaging its printed area, means to print and dry ink on two webs, each web being printed and dried on one side by leading it successively through a printing unit and a drying unit, and then printed and dried on the other side by leading it successively through another printing unit and another drying unit, the two webs then being associated and led to a delivery mechanism; and alternatively to print and dry ink on a single web by leading it successively through one of the said printing units,

about a web carrier, through another of the said printing units, and through two of the said drying units to print and dry one side of the web,.and then successively through another of the said printing units, about a web carrier, through still another oi the said printing units and through two other of the said drying units to print and dry theother side of the single web which is then led to a delivery mechanism.

6. In a multicolor web printing machine, upper and lower printing units, upper and lower ink drying units, and a plurality of web carriers having means to guide a web without contacting its printed area, the said printing units, ink drying units and web carriers being arranged in such relation that two webs may 'be printed and dried by leading each web upward through a printing unit, downward through a'drying unit, downward through another printing unit, and upward through another drying unit, and the other web may be printed by leading it upward through another printing unit, downward through another drying unit, downward through another printing unit, and upward through another drying unit; and alternatively, a single web may be printed by leading it upward through a printing unit, about a web carrier, upward through another printing unit, downward first through one and then through another ink drying unit, downward through another printing unit, about another web carrier, and downward through another printing unit, and upward first through one and then through another ink drying unit.

7. A web carrier for guiding a web in a printing machine comprising a shaft, a plurality of bearings each having acylindrical inner member and a cylindrical outer member, and a plurality of non-rotatable hollow cylinders having peripheral walls slightly less in diameter than the peripheries of the outer bearing members, and having end caps with hubs, the periphery of each hub being fitted to the inner member of a bearing and each of the cylinders beingindependently connected with a source of air under pressure and having holes through the portion of its peripheral wall that is covered by the web.

ADOLPH M. ZUCKERMAN. 

